A good way to save on your energy bill is to have a timer on your thermostat. That way you can set it to come on at the right time and cool down at the right time. So you are using only the energy you want and keeping your house perfectly comfortable without having to remember to turn it down at night or fighting over how warm it is (or isn't) in the morning.
This probably isn't anything new to you. You probably already know this. Right?
I already know this. I already DO this. But last night I had a thought....
My heater is set on a timer to heat and cool throughout the day based on our comings and goings. BUT IT"S SET ON LAST YEAR'S SCHEDULE. I hadn't even thought to reset the schedule this fall. I just turned it on and assumed it was good to go. But my life is vastly different now than it was even just a few months ago. Things have changed, schedules have changed, even who lives in my house has changed (my in-laws moved out). So even though I thought I was already being careful with my energy usage, I really wasn't.
So if you already think you've got your thermostat set, take one more look. Make sure it really matches your current lifestyle. No use heating an empty house. Now I am not Jimmy Carter here telling you to, "Put on a sweater." You
can have your house as warm as you want. I'm just saying, why keep it
warm if you aren't in it?
Marcia
P.S. Wait, what? You don't have a timer on your thermostat? You gotta fix that. They cost as little as $25 and will save you so much money in the long run (or even the short run, if you're heating an empty house all day). Plus it just makes your house more comfortable. I love that mine shuts off just after I go to bed, so the house is cooler while we sleep without me having to remember. And I set it to come on super hot about 15 minutes before we all need to wake up in the morning, so we are all eager to get up and out of the covers to escape the heat instead of hiding in our beds against the cold.
Stop by your local hardware store and ask where the thermostat timers are. It's definitely a smart purchase. You might even pay for it in one month or less.
Resetting your thermostat isn’t really practiced by a lot of people, but for those who have an ever-changing schedule adjust theirs quite often. Anyway, broken timers, or thermostats with no timers, are not a big problem, especially if the owners are used to it. But having one is very convenient, especially if you think there’s a problem with it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the matter.
ReplyDeleteBrett Rogers @ Flame Furnace